Suspended furnace roof



Mar, 20, 1923a W. C. STRIPE. SUSPENDED FURNACE ROOF.

FILED AUG.9. 1921.

Patented ar. 2li), i923.

WILLIAM C. STRIPE, 0F UPPER DARBY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SUSPENDED FURNACE ROOF.

Application filed August 9, 1921. Serial No. 490,823.

T 0 au whom t 'may concern:

Be -it known that I, WILLIAM C. STRIPE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Upper Darby, in the county of Delaware and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful .Improvement-s inSuspended Furnace Roofs, of which the following is aspecification,reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

The.- invention relates to the roofs or arches of heatingfurnaces,.boiler furnaces and the like of various types 'and moreparticularly to means for suspending the individualgbricks ofi vwhichthe arch or roof is composed, afprinci'pal4- object of the inventionbeing to provide means whereby any' of the bricks may be readily removedor replaced without disturbing the other bricks adjacent thereto.'

Further objectsiof the invention are to provide means-for suspendingindividuall bricks to forma furnace roof or arch which are simple inconstruction, .of relatively low cost and which may be convenientlyutilized in suspending the bricks during the initial construction of thearch or roofand readily operated when it is desired to move one or morebricks therefrom for renewal or replacement.

A still further object of the invention is to so arrange and constructthe means which are cooperative' with the individual bricksin efectingsuspension thereof, that a brick of' very simple Adesigm and form maybe, employed, therebyfacilitating the manufacture of the bricks-andreducing the cost thereof toV a point not materially ineXcess' ofordinary bricks of similar material hith-v erto utilized 'for theconstruction of furnace arches and roofs, while by reason of theparticular construction and arrangement of the several elementsemployed, an efficient Ventilation of the brick` or4 tile suspendingmeans is provided, thereby lessening the injurious effects thereony ofthe high temperatures inthe subjacent fuel bed. vi

The invention further includes all of the other Various objects andnovel features ofconstruction and arrangement hereinafter moreparticularly described or shown in the accompanying drawing. l

Since my invention is capable of use in many types of furnaces andgenerally similar apparatus, I have not shown the same in theaccompanying drawing as embodied 1n any completed or specific furnace orthe like, but only in connection with a fragmentary portion of the roofor arch of such a. structure which may be of any suitable form ordesign. In the said drawing, Fig. l 1s a fragmentary side elevation online l-l in Fig. 2 of such portion of a roof,

Vone of the individual bricks comprising the same being partiallylowered from its operative adjusted position inthe roof to illustratethe manner of inserting or removing individual bricks, and Fig. 2 is atop plan View ofthe portion of the roof shown in F 1g.1. Fig. 8 is asection on line 3-3 in Fig. 1 looking in the directionjof the arrows;Fig. 4 is a vertical section through one of thebricks and supportingmeans; Fig. 1s an enlargedv perspective view of one of the .supportingslides removed Alfrom ahc hanger beam, and Fig. 6 a fragmentary top planview showing a slightly modified form of the invention. Like numeralsare used to designate similar parts in the several figures. j

In the'practice of my invention, a plurality of hanger beams 2 arearranged in parallel relation either transversely or longitudinallyabove the space to be roofed or arched, these beams being supported inposition in any suitable way as by locating their ends on suitablesupporting walls or abutments or by suspending the 4beams in anyconvenient manner by hanger rods 4- and positioned on each of the'hanger beams preferably prior to the 4latter being placed in position,each of these slides comprising a pair of inwardly directed oppositelydisposed spaced ends 11 separated for a somewhat-greater distance thanthe thickness of the vertical web 5 of the hanger beam, the metalofwhichthe slide is composed depending between the ends in a curved or otherform approximating the curved or other Surface of the under side of theT 6, the radius of curvature of the inner face of the curved portion ofthe slide however, being preferabl slightly greater than that of theunder si e of the T, so that when the ends 11 of the slide are engagedover the upper surface of the T, the slide will be supported verticallyon the hanger beam with a slight clearance 13 between the under side ofthe T and the adjacent surface of the slide and a substantially similarclearance 14 between the inner faces of each of the ends 11 and theadjacent side of the vertical web of the beam. j

Preferably the number of slides positioned on each beam in the mannerdescribed is double the number" of bricks which are to be supported toform the ortion of the roof adjacent that-particular cam, although agreater or less number of slides in proportion to the number of bricksemployed may be utilized if desired. Thus in the preferred construction,if ten bricks are to be supported from any given' hanger beam,preferably twenty slides will be positioned on the beam with a view toutilizing two slides for effecting the support of each of the bricks.

The particular form of the bricks B employed in the roof or arch may bevaried as.

desired, but ordinarily and as shown in the the larger portion of theslot in the brick when two or more slides may then slide along the beaminto the slot to assume substantially the position as shown in Fig. 2;in other words, so that whentwo slides are employed for eachbrick theywill occupy a position in which each of them is substantiallyequidistant from the adjacent side of the brick and from the otherslide. Under these conditions the individual brick will vthus besupported in proper relation 'with the hangerl beam through theengagement of the overhanging lips 21 of the brick with lthe uppersurface ofthe slides' which, in turn, are supported on the hanger beamthrough engagement of the under sides of their respective overhanginglips 11 with the upper surface of the T on the, beam.

Thus by consecutively raising the bricks into proper side by sideposition and moving theV slides along the beam to engage them asaforesaid, the entire roof or'arch may be readily built up, the ends ofeach brick contacting with the adjacent ends of the corresponding bricksupported from the adjacent hanger by reason of the spacing of thehanger beams, and the sides of the various bricks of course lcontactingwith the sides olf the adjacent bricks as best shown in Fig.

- 2. Of course if desired suitable cement may drawing each brick will beof generally rec tangular form, the sides and bottom being substantiallyplane. Extending transverselyl across the top'of each brick' andpreferably formed therein when the brickis made, is a slot 16 which, ata suitable distance below the upper surface 17 of the brick is under-cuthorizontally as at 18 lin opposite directions, the outer extremities ofthe under-cut portions being connected by a surface 20 preferably ofgenerally similar contour to the under surface of the slides 10. Eachbrick is thus provided with apair of inwardly directed lips 21,y theadjacent surfaces of which are spaced apart for a considerably greaterdistance thanthe web of the hanger beam but lessthan the overall widthof the slides, theportion of Ithe slot beneath' the lips beingsufficiently large to loosely contain the slideswhen disposed therein ashereinafter described. I

In the operation of assembling a roof or arch' with the various parteadapted to form the same constructed in substantially the manneraforesaid, the hanger beams vcarrying a suitable number of slides ashitherto described, are first positioned in the parallel relation, thedistance between the respec- `tive centers of the adjacent beams beingsub stantially equal to the width of the bricks to employed. Beginningconveniently at one side of the roof or arch, `:the indiyidual bricksare next consecutively ralsed into a position in which the Tat the lowerend of the adjacenthanger beaml w11] extend into be introduced betweenthe adjacent surfaces of the several bricks during the construction ofthe arch or roof should the same be deemed necessary.

In case at any time it becomes desirable to replace any of theindividual bricks in the roof or arch, the removal of the old brick andthe substitution of a new one may be readily accomplished withoutdiefuibihg the adjacent bricks in any way, which is a very desirablefeature, since in the operation of furnaces frequently one or more ofthe bricks burns out or becomes damaged in some other way while the.adjacent bricks remain in perfect condition. Underv these circumstancesthe damaged brick or bricks maybe readily removed by sliding the clipswhich suspend the same in opposite directions along the particularhanger beam on which the damaged brick is supported until the clipsrespectively pass beyond the sides of the brick which is to be removedand enter the slots in the adjacent bricks, thereby employed. Morespecifically assuming that brick B isto be removed without disturbmgtheadjacent bricks, the slides 10 which have been employed for supporting.it are slid in opposite directions until they assume the position shownin Figs. 1 and 2, which operation c-an readily be accom lished'byintroducing a rodor other suita 1e instru.-

ment between the surface of the web of the hanger beam and the innerface of the overhanging lip of the brick.

rI`he brick being thus unsupported is now in condition to be loweredfrom its suspended position or chiseled out in case its adherence to theadjacent bricks is considerable and a new brick may then be raised intothe cavity left by the old brick until the T of the hanger beam entersthe slot in the brick for a.sufii'cient distance to permit the slides1.0 to be again pushed along the hanger beam toward each other to properposition for supporting the brick in place.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a slightly modified form of the invention inwhich each of the slides 10 is utilized to partially support twoadjacent bricks, the slides being positioned on the hanger beams so asto eX- tend'into the slots in the adjacent bricks. Under thesecircumstances it may be deemed advisable -to make the slides ofrelatively greater width than as shown in Fig. 5 in order that theyshall extend sufficiently beyond' the face4 of each rick so as to affordproper support thereto. It is thought that the arrangement of thevarious other .parts and method of assembling or Adisassembling the`.arch under these circumstances will be obvious and thatdetaileddescription thereof -is therefore unnecessary.

or roof and which are adapted to readily' permit the vwithdrawal orinsertion of new bricks from time to time as may be required .Withoutdisturbing the adjacent bricks and without the employment of ,specialtools or the necessity of skilled labor.

Furthermore, it Will be apparent that as the individual bricks or tilesare entirely out of contact with the hanger beams and are only supportedtherefrom at spaced points through the medium of the slides, a freecirculation of air is at alltimes possible between the bricks and thewebs ofthe hanger beams as well as in and about the slides and slots inthe bricks, so that while the end faces ofthe bricks which form theunder surface of the arch are exposed to direc-t action of the heat fromthe fuel bed, the upper parts of the bricks and the sup'- porting meansVare maintained at a relatively low temperature thereby materiallyprolonging the life thereof. .1

`While I have herein described with some articularity a preferredembodiment of the mvention, it will be understood that I do not therebydesire or intend to limit myself to any precise details of constructionor arrangement; that the invention may be readily adapted for use infurnaces and arches of different types asmay be desired and that anysuitable means otherthan disclosed may be employed for effecting the lsupport of the hanger beams without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to rotect byLetters Patent of the United tates:

1. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a hangerbeam having an enlarged lower portion, Imeans slidable on said beam andadapted to enga-ge said portion to receive support therefrom and a brickhaving an under-cut slot adapted to receive said slidable means whenmoved into said' slot from either end thereof, the overhanging portionsof the brick adjacent the slot operating to retain said means fromvertical displacement therein.

2. In a structure of the class described, thecombination of a hangerbeam having outwardly directed flanges adjacent its lower extremity,-aplurality of clips slidable on sa-idxhanger beam and having overhanginglips adapted to engage said flanges, and a brick; comprising atransversely extending under-cut slot and overhangng lips adjacentthereto adapted to engage the upper surfaces of said clips when theclips are moved into said slot from the ends thereof.

3. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a hangerbeam having a vertical web and loutwardly directed fiange's forming aTat the lower end thereof, a plurality of clips longitudinally slidableon said flanges each clip having inwardly directed lips spaced apart fora distance greater than the thickness of said web, and a brick having atransversely extending under-cut slot in its upper surface adapted toreceive said clips when inserted in Said slot from the ends thereof, theoverhanging portions of the brick adjacent the upper edge of the slotbeing operative to rest on said clips to afford vertical support to thebrick.

4. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a pluralityof transversely extending, parallel spaced hanger beams each beam havinga vertical web and outwardly oppositely directed flanges adjacent thelower edge thereof, arranged to forma T, a plurality of clips havingoverhanging lips engaging said flanges and longitudinally slidable oneach beam and a plurality of individual bricks, each having atransversely extending under-cut slot in its upper surface adapted toreceive said clips when moved end-wise into the slot whereby each brickis individually supported in adjusted relation in the structure throughthe engagement of a plurality of said clips with each brick and with theT on the adjacent hanger beam.

5. In a structure of the class described,

iw j

the combination of a plurality of parallel spaced hanger beams each beamhaving a f vertical web and an enlarged lower portion,

a. plurality of slides independently movable longitudinally of each beamand adapted to oven engage said enlarged portion thereof, and aplurality of bricks, 'each having an under-cut slot in its upper surfaceadapted to receive a plurality of said slides and overhanging lipsadjacent the slot, whereby when the enlarged portion of said beam isintroduced into said slot below said lips and a plurality of the slidesmoved into the ends of the slot, each brick will be vertically andindependently supported from said beam by engagement of said lips withsaid slides and saidcslides" with 'the enlarged por tion of said beam.

6. In a structure of the class described, a hanger beam having anenlarged lower portion and la vertically extending web, a plurality ofslides engaging said enlarged lower portion and longitudinally slidableonthe beam and a brick having a. transversely eX- tending under-cut slotinl its upper surface and a pair of inwardly directed lips over-'hanging the slot, the space between the lips my hand this 4th day ofAugust A. D. 1921.

WILLIAM- C. STRIPE.

